It’s fall, so it’s time to sit back, enjoy the cool temperatures, and pick up a new book to read. Here are some suggestions for touching stories of human struggle:

How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow

Kathleen Glasgow throws her readers into the life of a teenage girl who tragically loses her mother. With no other family to take care of her, Grace Tolliver—known as Tiger—goes into foster care. She was angry with herself for telling her mother “to leave her alone” before her mother’s life ended. Now Tiger has to learn How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

In the 1920’s, there were no happy endings, especially for Celie and Nettie. At a young age Celie and Nettie, the main characters, were abused by their father. In fact, Celie is “sold” to Mister for marriage—who is exactly like her father. Throughout the novel readers experience the issue of women’s rights and the compounding challenges of being an African-American woman. Celie had to cook, clean, and watch the kids like any other woman in the 1920’s. How does Celie deal with this? Does she finally snap? Find out in The Color Purple by Alice Walker.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

What would it be like to live in Afghanistan? For Amir, a luxury, but for Hassan, a nightmare. Amir and Hassan grew up together in Kabul. Hassan was Amir’s servant, but nevertheless treated as family. When Amir grows up and moves to America, he realizes how horrible a friend he was to Hassan. What does Amir do? He returns to Afghanistan to atone for Hassan’s death—but learns the hard truth. How does this new information affect him? Find out in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.